A classy second-half goal from midfielder Thabo Rakhale gave South Africa’s solitary African representative a 1-0 win over CS Sfaxien in the CAF Confederation Cup on Sunday night.
READ: Rakhale thrilled with Sfaxien goal
The result means the South African giants remain second in Group B with six points from three matches.
While they are three points behind Egyptian giants Zamalek, the Buccaneers are still well in the race to qualify for the semi-finals of the continental competition.
Confed Cup Hub: All the news, fixtures, group standings
Asked why Pirates fare much better than the likes of Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns in African competitions, Mhkalele tells snl24.com/kickoff that the desire to be rated among the best clubs in Africa always motivates the players.
“The players are hungry to make their mark in Africa and you can see this by the way they play,” Mkhalele, who won the 1995 African Champions Cup with Pirates and the 1996 African Nations Cup with Bafana Bafana, says.
“The mental strength that the players display while playing in some very tough conditions is something that has become part of the culture at Pirates.
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“This is what separates Pirates from the other clubs when it comes to continental competitions. The fact that the club has won the CAF Champions League before has a positive effect on whoever puts on that jersey because they know that it is not an impossible task,” he adds.
Pirates will face old rivals Kaizer Chiefs on Saturday in front of a capacity crowd at FNB Stadium in the Carling Black Label Cup.